seneschal

English

Wikipedia

Alternative forms

• seneskal (dated or rare)

Etymology

From Middle English seneschal (recorded in English since 1393), from Old French seneschal, from Medieval Latin (Frankish) siniscalcus, from Proto-Germanic *sini- (“senior”) + Proto-Germanic *skalk (“servant”); latter term as in marshal. Compare French sénéchal.

Noun

seneschal (plural seneschals)

1. A steward in charge of a medieval nobleman's estate.
   • 1884, Mark Twain, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , Chapter 35

     ...so the very keenest seneskal can't see no sign...

Translations

steward in charge of a medieval nobleman's estate

• French: sénéchal (fr)

• Russian: сенешаль (ru) (senešalʹ)

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Old French

Noun

seneschal m (oblique plural seneschaus, nominative singular seneschaus, nominative plural seneschal)

1. seneschal
   • circa 1170, Chrétien de Troyes, Érec et Énide:

     "Oïl, mout m'an sovient il bien.
     Seneschaus, savez vos an rien?

     Yes, I remember it well

     Senschal, do you know anything about it?